Dumpster Rentals in
San Diego, CA
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ZTERS provides roll-off dumpster rental services throughout the San Diego metro and across the United States. Most orders can be arranged through a single point of contact, with support available for residential remodels, ADU builds, commercial construction, and cleanouts of every scale. ZTERS has completed thousands of rentals in the San Diego market, and customers can expect transparent pricing, DSD Traffic Control Permit coordination, and reliable on-time delivery from our local hauler partners.
The San Diego metro is home to more than 3.3 million residents and one of the most active coastal remodel and ADU markets in California. The ZTERS team helps customers select and schedule the appropriate container for any project, whether a La Jolla kitchen remodel, a North Park ADU build, a Hillcrest infill teardown, or a long-term commercial construction program. With more than a decade of nationwide experience, ZTERS delivers a consistent standard of service in every market: the right container, delivered on schedule, at a competitive price, with dedicated customer support throughout the rental.
Types of Dumpsters for Rent in San Diego
ZTERS offers 9 dumpster sizes for San Diego projects, from small coastal cleanouts to ADU builds and large construction jobs.
- Dedicated account manager
- Best-in-class customer service
- No hidden fees — transparent flat pricing
ZTERS' smallest standard. A go-to for heavy debris (dirt, brick, concrete, clay tile) and small San Diego bath remodels and garage cleanouts in tight coastal neighborhoods.
Holds about 3 pickup truck loads or 50–70 trash bags. Footprint roughly one standard parking space. Heavy-debris configs can carry up to 10 tons.
Best for dirt and soil removal, brick and masonry, concrete demo, and asphalt shingles. Also fits small bath remodels and garage cleanouts.
Our most-requested size for San Diego home renos and ADU builds. Low side walls let DIYers walk debris in and toss over the side.
Holds 8–10 pickup truck loads or about 120 trash bags. Footprint roughly two parking spaces end-to-end.
Best for kitchen and bathroom remodels, whole-house decluttering, mid-size garage and attic cleanouts, mid-size landscaping, and roof replacements on smaller homes.
Largest standard roll-off. New construction, major demolition, teardowns, and commercial-scale San Diego cleanouts. Curb space and DSD Traffic Control Permit approval required for street placement.
Holds about 12 pickup truck loads or 230–250 trash bags. The 8-ft walls make rear-door loading essential for bulky items.
Best for new construction, major demos, full kitchen-and-bath gut renos, and large commercial cleanouts. Note: dense debris (concrete, shingles) needs a heavy-debris bin instead.
Heavy-debris workhorse. Built for dirt, brick, concrete, and roof-tear-off shingles where weight matters more than volume.
Holds 4–5 pickup truck loads or 60–85 trash bags. Generous weight allowance — heavy materials hit the weight cap long before they fill the volume.
Best for dirt and soil removal, brick and masonry, concrete demo, and asphalt shingles. Also fits single-room renos and basement cleanouts.
Bridges heavy-debris bins and mid-size cleanouts. Good fit for San Diego multi-room remodels, North Park garage conversions, and cleanouts with bulky items.
Holds about 4.5 pickup truck loads or 80–100 trash bags. Roughly the volume of 15 standard washing machines.
Best for multi-room remodels, flooring removal, garage cleanouts, light demo, larger landscaping, and deck builds. Heavy materials need a smaller heavy-debris bin.
Taller profile (6 ft walls) is ideal for bulky debris. Common for larger San Diego home renovations and partial roof replacements (asphalt shingle, clay tile, or concrete tile).
Holds about 6 pickup truck loads or 80+ trash bags. The 6-ft walls mean heavy or bulky items load best through the rear swing door.
Best for larger home renovations, partial roof replacements, mid-sized construction, and hybrid residential and light-commercial jobs.
More vertical capacity than the 20-yard with a similar footprint. Built for office cleanouts, commercial remodels, and bulky debris.
Holds about 9 pickup truck loads. A meaningful step up from the 20-yard for projects that have more bulk than weight.
Best for residential renovations with bulky debris, office and commercial remodels, and large estate cleanouts.
Built for large San Diego jobs: full home renovations, ADU and teardown projects, estate cleanups, active construction sites, and commercial mixed debris.
Holds about 9 pickup truck loads or 170–190 trash bags. Footprint roughly two parking spaces end-to-end.
Best for whole-house cleanouts, large home demos, active construction, and commercial mixed debris. Note: cannot accept dirt, concrete, brick, or shingles.
Niche size between 30 and 40 yard — when 30 will overflow but you don't want to pay for a 40 you won't fill.
Holds about 10–11 pickup truck loads or 200+ trash bags.
Best for large home cleanouts where furniture and appliance volume drives the need, mid-to-large construction, and whole-house remodels with significant bulky debris.
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Learn more about ZTERS
A short look at how ZTERS works: who we are, how we deliver, and why thousands of San Diego customers keep coming back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually, no. If the dumpster sits entirely on private property (driveway, side yard, private parking lot, or off-street commercial site), the City of San Diego does not require a permit. That covers the majority of single-family rentals, including kitchen remodels, garage and ADU conversions, and most roof tear-offs.
A permit is required any time a roll-off occupies public space, including the street, curb, or sidewalk. In that case, the City of San Diego requires a Traffic Control Permit from the Development Services Department (DSD). Applications use form DS-269 (Traffic Control Plan/Permit) and are submitted electronically through the city's Accela permit portal. DSD's stated processing time is about 15 business days for new permits or extensions, so applications should go in well before delivery. Approved placements must include reflective markings, cones, or barricades. Bins cannot block fire hydrants, driveways, accessibility ramps, or bus stops, and must comply with red curbs, posted parking restrictions, and the city's street sweeping schedule. Coastal neighborhoods (La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Point Loma) and hillside areas (Mission Hills, Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, Kensington) often have tighter setback rules because of narrow streets and limited turnarounds.
Most San Diego County jurisdictions outside the City of San Diego, including Chula Vista, National City, La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee, Coronado, Carlsbad, Oceanside, and Escondido, operate their own permit programs with separate forms, fees, and timelines. For unincorporated areas, permits are issued by San Diego County. If your placement is on the line, contact your ZTERS representative before scheduling so the right permit path is settled before delivery is booked.
San Diego pricing comes down to transfer-station and landfill fees, fuel, the coastal delivery footprint, DSD Traffic Control Permits where applicable, and seasonal demand around remodel and ADU season. ZTERS pricing in San Diego runs from $327 for a 20 yard up to $677 for a 40 yard.
Every size includes a maximum tonnage and a 10-day rental window. If you need it longer, you can extend the rental for an extra fee. Delivery averages about $140 depending on distance and access. Permit fees for street placements are quoted upfront when you book, along with delivery and any potential overweight charges. Here's how ZTERS San Diego pricing looks by size:
| Dumpster Size | Low Estimate | High Estimate | Rental Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Yard | $397 | $607 | 10 days |
| 20 Yard | $327 | $514 | 10 days |
| 30 Yard | $350 | $537 | 10 days |
| 40 Yard | $490 | $677 | 10 days |
For most renters in the City of San Diego, the easiest path is to let your hauler handle the permit. If the bin will sit on a street, curb, or sidewalk, ZTERS files the Traffic Control Permit application with the Development Services Department (DSD), includes the cost in the rental, and times approval to your delivery. Applications use form DS-269 (Traffic Control Plan/Permit) plus DS-345 (Project Contacts), and submittal requirements are outlined in Information Bulletin 177. Everything is filed electronically through the city's Accela permit portal. DSD's stated processing time is about 15 business days for new permits or extensions, so the timeline is built into the delivery date. Property owners can also apply directly through the same portal.
Outside the City of San Diego, the process changes by jurisdiction. Chula Vista, National City, La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee, Coronado, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Escondido, and other county cities each operate their own permit programs through their public works or engineering departments, with separate applications, fees, and timelines. For unincorporated areas, permits are issued by San Diego County. Some smaller cities require both a permit and a refundable deposit; some require advance review for hillside, arterial, or coastal-overlay placements.
Not sure which jurisdiction applies, or whether your placement is on city right-of-way? Contact your ZTERS representative before scheduling. A quick conversation can confirm the requirements, and in nearly all cases we can handle the permit at booking so the bin arrives compliant.
Yes, with a Traffic Control Permit. Any time a roll-off occupies public space (street, curb, or sidewalk), a Traffic Control Permit is required from the City of San Diego Development Services Department. DSD's stated processing time is about 15 business days for new permits, so file well before delivery. Outside the City of San Diego, the corresponding permit is issued by the local jurisdiction's public works or engineering department, or by San Diego County for unincorporated areas.
Approved placements must include reflective markings, cones, or barricades for visibility. The bin cannot block fire hydrants, driveways, accessibility ramps, bus stops, or designated loading zones, and must comply with red curbs, posted parking restrictions, and the city's street sweeping schedule (which often requires the bin to be moved or relocated mid-rental). Coastal neighborhoods such as La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, and Point Loma, along with hillside areas like Mission Hills, Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, Kensington, and Mount Helix, have additional setback requirements due to narrow streets, blind curves, and limited turnarounds. In many of these areas, a smaller bin sized to a single curb-cut footprint is more practical than a 30 or 40 yard. Projects that require closing a lane add a traffic control plan reviewed by DSD's Traffic Control section before the permit can be issued.
Easiest path: have ZTERS' hauler pull the permit when you book. The cost is in the rental, and approval lines up with delivery.
ZTERS covers the City of San Diego and the broader San Diego County metro. In the City of San Diego: Downtown, East Village, Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, Cortez Hill, Marina, Bankers Hill, Hillcrest, Mission Hills, North Park, South Park, Normal Heights, University Heights, Kensington, Talmadge, City Heights, Golden Hill, Sherman Heights, Logan Heights, Barrio Logan, Mission Valley, Old Town, Point Loma, Roseville, Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Bay Park, Morena, Clairemont, Linda Vista, Serra Mesa, Kearny Mesa, Tierrasanta, Mira Mesa, Sorrento Valley, Carmel Valley, Del Mar Heights, Pacific Highlands Ranch, Torrey Pines, La Jolla, University City, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Peñasquitos, Rancho Bernardo, Black Mountain Ranch, Otay Mesa, and San Ysidro.
Coverage extends well beyond the City of San Diego. ZTERS regularly delivers to Chula Vista, National City, Coronado, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, La Mesa, Santee, El Cajon, Spring Valley, Bonita, Poway, Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Oceanside, and most of San Diego County. If your zip code is anywhere in the San Diego area, we can almost certainly deliver. Edge-of-metro addresses are worth a quick call to confirm coverage, the right permit jurisdiction, and pricing.
Delivery speed comes down to the placement and the permit. For private-property placements (driveways, off-street commercial lots, ADU sites with curb-cut access), same-day delivery is generally possible when an order is placed before 10 a.m. and the customer is flexible on size. Orders placed later in the day usually become next-day. For street placements inside the City of San Diego, the realistic lead time is two to three weeks because the Development Services Traffic Control Permit averages about 15 business days to process and the bin cannot be delivered until the permit is issued. Surrounding jurisdictions (Chula Vista, La Mesa, El Cajon, Coronado, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Escondido) operate on their own timelines.
During the peak remodel and ADU season (spring through fall), lead times for private-property placements can stretch a few days in the densest parts of the metro. Booking three to four days ahead gives you the most flexibility on size, time window, and placement. Same-day requests on private property are subject to remaining route capacity, which may require accepting a different size, paying a rush fee, or rescheduling for the following day. If something disrupts your timeline (a contractor moving up the demo, a code-enforcement deadline, a tenant-turnover schedule), contact ZTERS directly. Sometimes a private-property placement is the fastest workaround.
The right size depends on the scope of the project and the density of the debris. A single bathroom remodel typically fits in a 10 or 15 yard, with the 10 preferred when significant tile or backer board is being removed since dense material hits the weight cap before filling the bin. Master bath gut renovations and multi-bath jobs generally call for a 20. A full kitchen remodel (cabinets, countertops, flooring, backsplash, drywall, appliances) also typically calls for a 20. Multi-room renovations, room additions, and ADU builds move up to a 25 or 30. Whole-house renovations or major demolitions fall in the 30 to 40 range. For roof tear-offs, a 20 yard handles roughly 2,500 to 3,000 square feet of single-layer asphalt shingles, which covers most San Diego single-family homes. Clay or concrete tile common on older Mediterranean and Spanish Revival homes usually requires a smaller heavy-debris bin sized for the weight.
A few San Diego-specific factors are worth keeping in mind. The ADU and JADU boom, supported by California's statewide ADU laws and the city's permissive bonus program, has made 20 to 30 yard rentals the most common residential size across North Park, Normal Heights, Kensington, Bay Park, Encinitas, and Vista, since most ADU projects generate that debris range whether they're conversions or new construction. Dense urban infill in Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, Mission Hills, Little Italy, and the coastal neighborhoods often restricts bin size to what fits a single curb-cut footprint due to narrow streets and DSD setback requirements. HOAs in planned communities (Carmel Valley, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Bernardo) and condominium and co-op buildings frequently regulate dumpster placement, duration, and time of day. Coastal neighborhoods with sandy soils and stucco-and-tile construction also produce a different debris mix than inland tract homes, which can shift sizing toward heavy-debris bins. When choosing between two sizes, sizing up is usually the better value (the price difference is typically far smaller than the cost of a second haul), but only when curb space and the permit will accommodate the larger bin. Confirm both before committing.
San Diego Customer Reviews
"Sierra Williams is awesome! Honestly ZTERS has been awesome and easy to deal with for our construction business. They have a very up-to-date system and once you're in it's hard to even want to check out the competition."
"Our portable toilet rental experience was perfect. The toilets were in great condition, spotlessly clean and delivered at the exact time expected. Our delivery site was off the beaten path and they were available when no one else would bring them and the cost was great! The communication was clear and expedient and we will definitely use this company again. Thank you for your service."
"My experience with ZTERS dumpster rental was absolutely GREAT. Cedric Adkins handled my initial phone call and was extremely knowledgeable, professional, friendly, understanding and went above and beyond to fulfill all my requests and answer my questions. The delivery of the dumpster was done in a timely manner and the delivery driver placed the unit exactly where I wanted and respected my property. Job well done from start to finish."
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